if the u.s. were to, say, target a uranium enrichment plant in iran, that's a state taking action against another country. this is much more asymmetrical. this is the full weight and force against the chinsz military going after private companies, western companies that are defenseless against that kind of might. it's very different than one country going after another country in a cyber battlefield. >> isn't that a dis ukz between a difference, though? the chinese military versus american infrastructure compared to the u.s. government against an iranian facility? >> it's cross aing line. now we're talking about entities that aren't defended by american oil and gas companies or high-tech manufacturing companies that aren't be defended by the u.s. government. for us it's crossing a line into a classic victim that's not prepared to with stand that type of attack. >> i've been told by former intelligence chiefs here that this has long been a major cause of concern going forward. what is the u.s. now